


Of Rows Hills and Lost Fairytales

by cikicuba



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Folklore, M/M, More angst, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 14:04:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19086574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cikicuba/pseuds/cikicuba
Summary: The most wanted man in town has announced that he'll only marry the one who can open his front door with the key around his cat's neck. Many men try to hunt the cat down, but the cat is simply too quick, smart and clever. Mingyu is the first one to figure out the obvious....or sort of.





	1. Lormeadow and Its Magic

Once upon a time under the foothills where wealthy farm being the number one pride of most population, the land which fertile with various plants particularly coffee beans, and a solid market with majestic quality products, fairytale existed. Everyday amidst the pathway, flower blossoms delightfully. There, among all the towering green palm tree, the violets are blooming and their scent remains intoxicating. Here in the little magic village called Lormeadow, Spring is always in the air.

Fairytales are commonly often topics between the villagers. Witches, Trolls, Wolves, Mermaids, Elves, Unicorns, Dragons, _Shapeshifters_. The creatures live among them, creating a mystical atmosphere which also the charm of this very small village. The average population lives there almost all their days. They all know each other more than very well, almost like a family. A festival often being held to celebrate many things. Harvest day is the peak of the celebration, it's where all the villagers gathered in the field to hold the longest feast of the year. Dancing, laughing, and maybe find a way to love. There's always a fairytale in every breath of Lormeadow.

The people here also never experience the coldest day when they can buckle up inside warm clothes in front of the fireplace, drinking a glass of warm milk while telling stories about how the days went on to a friend. Never a day when they can't stand being in the middle of the field and freezing to death, nor playing with the snow to make a beautiful castle for killing time. Here in Lormeadow, it's a town of the warmest glimmering sun where your heart always sings, blue skies and gracefully shaped clouds. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart, and Winter never comes.

The greatest thing about Lormeadow appears in the form of their Wine Coffee, a well-known fermented coffee beans in order to produce the aroma of wine alongside the coffee at the same time. Many city people come into Lormeadow just to get a taste of the drink, a satisfaction itself even when the price isn't quite affordable for some people. Lormeadow is like the most compatible spot for people who needs the endowment of serenity where you can sit by the balcony and wait for the sun to set, a hidden paradise indeed. A dream place to live.

One day a fine young man came into the village asking for a home to live. He was willing to pay no matter how expensive he must afford, and thus he got the house near the hill garden, where most flower blossoms and the solitude peacefulness anyone could ever ask for. In that wooden house with simplistic architecture and warm appearance, the young man lives by himself. It was quite a mystery since he rarely participates in any of the village's tradition, nor simply doing anything closer to farming. He was infrequently be seen except when he was sitting on the balcony while drinking his tea and write something on his journal. His eyes drown into the depths of his own magical cosmos, inviting anyone to stay and perceive what's going on in that little head of him.

Lately they finally acknowledge the very job of the man himself and the reason why he looks so peaceful just by sitting and thinking is that he came here to write. Illuminated by the warmest sun and the spring wind, Jeon Wonwoo and his tiny journal book came here to create the art. To fill the white paper with colourful ink, string imagination in sentences by sentences. The only one time the young man ever joined them in the feast was when he got invited to celebrate the village's birthday, and ever since then every single villager occupied on being captivated by the said man, and finding a way how to win his heart. He becomes the most wanted man in the town. Handsome Sir Jeon with his courteous attitude, engaging smile and softly appearances replacing any magical creatures to become the most mysterious thing to be solved and honestly, a certain man named Kim Mingyu was already getting used to hearing the issue among his friends.

"Aren't you going to work?" They were supposed to weigh the coffee beans and put in each pack, but as far as the eyes can see, Mingyu was the only one doing the job and it's started to infuriates the man.

Instead of getting a reply, Mingyu gets subtly ignored from all his friends who are busy discussing something like the world is gonna end in a blink of an eye. Mingyu keeps working, considering nothing about the conversation will interest him anyway. It was the same as time goes by, there is no day without Jeon Wonwoo's name being summoned amongst them, ringing like a village's bell in the middle of the eerie night.

"Seriously, what is it this time?" Mingyu tries again. It was quite maddening how the young man was able to absorb up all the attention in this little village all on him without any particular efforts, and sometimes Mingyu deems it was impossible to get that kind of privileges. In any other words, there's something quite suspicious on him that Mingyu or anyone still unable to fathom.

"Jeon Wonwoo finally has spoken up." Let's just say Soonyoung is the expert on this, consider the amount of time he poured just to research on Jeon Wonwoo. "He has announced that he will marry the man who can open his front door."

For the record, it was stupid. And Mingyu was clearly judging his friends from the rolling of his eyes. "Then what's the problem? Just open the damn door."

"You think this is easy aren't you, Kim Mingyu? It's clearly not. You think you're the smartest one among us? Say it again after you successfully tamed the damn beast."

"Woah, woah, woah," Mingyu decided to joins the discussion table. "Calm down, Soonyoung. You acted like this is a life and death mission."

"This is a life and death mission!"

Mingyu lift both of his hands in the air, surrender after that one friend of him raising his tone a little bit. The tall man then glancing at his another friend on his right, asking for help. "What the hell is his problem?"

"Apparently our dearest Sir Jeon levelled up his husbands game a little bit harder. You know his cat who always sleep by the front door?"

Mingyu nods at Minghao, recognizing the fat white furry cat on his mind. The cat always gets on Mingyu's nerves since it moves like a silence hurricane, hovering around the house on its own like a clever invisible thief, as white as the foreign snow. "What about the cat?"

"There goes the key. Take the key around the beast's neck, open the door, and Jeon is all yours."

In front of him, Junhui just exhales his breath like a frustrated seventy years old man complaining about his back pain. "It's impossible. I tried, and you all know how a friendly cats person i am! But that wild animal is just so hard to approach. Never in my entire existence, i've seen such a cat."

"Can you just, shot it from afar or something?"

Three of his friends bewilderedly looking at him, trying to digest.

"Wow, no wonder you've been all alone all your life."

"That's rude, Soonyoung. And i had lovers before, not something i was _quite keen_ on telling you."

"Just for the sake of being polite, i believe you and your nonexistence love story—" Mingyu grits his teeth at the other man. "—but the most important thing is _no_ , as much as i also wanted to shot it and be done with everything, we cannot kill the beast. It would break Jeon's heart."

Sometimes when Soonyoung blurting out so many nonsenses from that mouth of him, Mingyu lets him do that wholeheartedly without any intention on interfering. But in this very moment, deep down he wanted his friends to stop obsessing on something quite impossible to reach. However, he doesn't want to crush his dream or anybody just like that. Himself too, sometimes wishing on something unreachable and that's okay, no one ever telling him to stop except himself.

"Well, i'm about to meet your dearest Sir Jeon in an hour. Any message i should convey?"

"Tell him i will not giving up and I'll find a way to trick the bloody beast just for him so please wait and i want him to know that he's the only light in my darkest soul."

Mingyu jaws drop. "There is absolutely no chance i will tell him that, Soonyoung."

"Can you secretly duplicated his key while he was in the bathroom or something?"

"I'm not a criminal, Wenjun. God, that's it. Forget i asked." Mingyu stands up from his seat and lifts up the last box of coffee beans to his pickup car, ignoring his friend's stupidity.

"You're meeting him right now?" Asks Minghao from far away.

"Yeah, his package from the city arrived this morning. And he also expected a pack of coffee beans to be delivered into his house this afternoon."

"Lucky you, delivery boy."

"Stop calling me that or i'll ban your cigarette's shipment from the city."

Mingyu can see Minghao's chuckling, but his threat definitely won't stop the man from calling him that.

 _A delivery boy._ A funny name to begin with since it's not necessarily wrong, and Mingyu indeed does the work. He's the bridge between the villagers and what's outside the city, he knows his way here and there, and he's definitely the man everyone been looking for in terms of knowing the village at his best. Everything that comes and out from the village never escapes from his view. In fact, he still remembers vividly the moment Jeon Wonwoo get off the ship in the Hedgeshore five years ago, carrying only one small suitcase and a journal on his other hand. He didn't entirely look like a city people who come to seek for the depth secret of the so-famous Lormeadow, but only a simple question such as ' _a quiet place to think_ '. Mingyu admittedly got smitten not only with how the man simply bowed at him and politely offer his hand for him to shake, but also his friendly gesture and calm presence that hold such strong reminiscences until this day.

Ever at a time, there are two big boxes coming from the city that says no other than the man's address on top of it. And what can he said, Mingyu is a young curious man. Thus he opened the box, and quietly took one of the books out. Later that night, he was laying on his house balcony accompanied by the stars in the sky and a book titled ' _Finding You In a Sea of People_   _by Wonwoo Jeon_ '. Mingyu ain't a reader, he was never one. He spent his time on farming, learning how to brew a good coffee, and hop into one villager's and another house to deliver their package. On another occasion when the Hedgeshore is at peace, he's got his free time to hunt magical creatures such as a unicorn. Unicorns have always been his favourite. If only they could bring home anything they found behind the Aldpine's forest, Mingyu would be having plenty of Unicorn by now. But that night he wasn't thinking about anything at all. He was captivated enough by the stolen book he was currently reading, and it feels like someone engulfing a whole of him into the strangest place when there are only white walls he was freely floating alongside every word he read inside the book.

> _How do we defying gravity? because I still had none explanation of how the universe gave me the right to found one constellation that keeps me on the ground, just to always sadly look up to at sky while having too many thought at once. Seven billion living soul and problem to solve, and we still unable to comprehend a simple living reason that finally brought us to a limitless tunnel of regrets. It kills you by blind darkness that will swallow all of you alive._
> 
> _So how come you still have those happy little wrinkles around your eyes whenever you laugh? How come you present your best when it's been hard on you? Don't you want to rest? From the world? From yourself?_

Mingyu remembers feeling a hole on his chest, a grand hole of sorrow that put him in misery for the rest of the night. He can't sleep, nor stopped thinking about what he just read. He became aware of every little thing upon his surrounding, appreciating what he had and enjoy while it last. It was such a powerful self-encouragement even for Mingyu to began elaborate, and all thanks to a book. A book written by a man who lives near the hill garden, who has the most delightful smile Mingyu has ever seen. If anything Mingyu wanted to give for the man, it was his gratitude and respect. Jeon Wonwoo is indeed the man of a dream, and Kim Mingyu wouldn't dare to invite himself even to admire.

Mingyu arrives in front of Wonwoo's door just about the time he was expected to be, welcomed by the famous cat in front of the door. The cat observes Mingyu with his big dark eyes, probably searching for anything dangerous that could endanger both she and her owner. Mingyu chuckles just a bit, refusing to believe how a cat can be so suspicion such as this one. He kneeling down in front of the cat, offering a soft pat on the fat cat's head. "Hey, Missy. Is your owner home?"

The cat sniffling on Mingyu's hand like it was a meal of the day. Thus when Mingyu sure his hand did look meaty and tempting, the cat vigorously licking on it.

Again, Mingyu laughs and patting the cat even softer. "You like my hand? That's nice Missy, but i can't do this all day. I have lots of work to do especially today so would you please go inside and call him?" The cat finally wakes up from his fine nap and goes inside using the small hole at the bottom of the door.

A minute later Jeon Wonwoo opened the door, looking freshly out from the shower with his army cargo pants and warm brown sweater, lightly scratching his eyes behind the glasses frame with his knuckles. "Hi?"

"Hi," Mingyu gups, suddenly become quite nervous. "Your package is here. And also your coffee beans?"

The man's lips raising through his cheeks, and he opens his door a little bit wider. "That's great."

There's a momentarily silence between them since it's always a nervewracking moment for Mingyu to stand in front of the man, even when he did come here on purpose. "Do you—um," Again, Mingyu is gulping without even realizing. "Want me to help carry the box inside? It's quite heavy."

"Yeah," Wonwoo smiling so bright it honestly blinding his eyes. "Yeah, i would very much appreciate it."

Mingyu then run to his car as soon as possible due to his nervousness. He pretends to take a long time just to get the damn box because honestly he can't imagine being inside Wonwoo's house when there will be only both of them. However as much as he wants to buy so much time to calm his heart, he can't let the man waiting on his door any longer than this. Mingyu walking towards him with a box carried by his hands, putting the coffee beans pack on top of it. Wonwoo helping him by picking the pack after Mingyu walking past him. Mingyu wishes the man would put the blindly smile into an end because it was getting unbearably hard for him to manage.

"Where should i put this?"

"In the kitchen?"

"Got it." Mingyu put the box on top of the kitchen table near the kitchen sink, then immediately grab a knife to unbox the thing. Wonwoo raising his eyebrows at the act, signalling a confusion. But Mingyu just shrugs his shoulder while cutting the tape on the box. "Uh, y'know. it will be dangerous for you to play with the knife."

"Okay." Wonwoo nods understandingly.

"Can you stand a little bit further? I don't want you to get hurt."

Again, Wonwoo innocently nods his head. "Okay."

Mingyu opened the box in silence since there isn't any topic they could talk about. In fact, this is the first time Mingyu ever been inside Wonwoo's house. Wonwoo isn't truly the talker himself, hence Mingyu doesn't want to make him uncomfortable by making simple talk.

"Do you perhaps want to drink something?"

The tall man gets used to people asking him the question. He loves helping people around and as a change, people tend to offer him something in return. He was never refuse, considering it as a self-payment. "A glass of water would be nice."

Wonwoo comes back with the said water just about the time Mingyu finishes with the box. He politely grabs the glass from Wonwoo's grips and drinks the water away. The other man silently observes Mingyu with his eyes, hands crossed in front of the chest. "Do I waste too much of your time already?"

"Why? Do you need me to help you with another?"

"Actually, I..." Wonwoo's hand begins to wander inside and grab the machine out of the box. "I'm not really sure how this thing works?"

Mingyu's eyes moving between the machine and Wonwoo's feature, examine the situation carefully before he understands the meaning behind the question. "You want me to teach you how to use this?"

"If that sits well with you then... yeah, i do?"

"Okay, come here." Believe it or not, Mingyu's hand gripping the other man's wrist and pulling him closer out of consciousness. Wonwoo seems taken aback seeing from how dumbfounded he was when finally standing beside Mingyu. There's a significant size difference between their bodies, and it only makes Wonwoo accidentally look too small compared to the tall man. "First of all, you know what this is useful for, right?"

Wonwoo blinks his eyes cutely. "To make coffee?"

Mingyu bites his lips to prevent himself from laughing. "Okay... that's a start. Well actually, this little machine is a tool you used to brew your coffee in particular methods using this paper filter"

"Um, i'm sorry but how do we use a paper to make a coffee?"

Screw biting his lips, Mingyu laughs anyway. This man is way too adorable for his own good. "Can you help me boil some water?"

"Mhm," Wonwoo quickly grabs a kettle from inside the cupboard, filled it with water, and put it on the stove. "Done."

"Splendid. Now while waiting for the water to boil, let's prepare for the other stuff," Mingyu opening the coffee beans pack carefully. "It's a good thing you also buy the grinder. The scale additionally important for a beginner to measure the coffee correctly."

"So what do we need to do first?"

"Grind 24 grams of coffee beans. Remember to measure it accurately to get the perfect taste for your coffee." Mingyu pouring the beans inside a cup, then finish when the scale showing the right number. After that, the man puts it inside the grinder and let the machine do the work. Wonwoo pays attention to the whole process wholeheartedly, face filled with excitement.

"And then after it has done?"

"And then after it has done, put the V60 and the cup on top of the scale. And this is where your already boiled water takes part," Mingyu grins at him and Wonwoo immediately turn off the stove and lift the kettle. "Use the water to thoroughly rinse the paper filter to get rid of paper flavour. Rinsing it also helps you to heat the tool."

"You seems to know a lot about this."

Mingyu raises his eyebrows. "I practically live my whole life in a village where they plant coffee beans for a living."

"Right," The petite man begins to cover his face in embarrassment. "Pardon my foolishness."

"Nah, that's okay." Despite being completely nervous on being in the same room as Jeon Wonwoo, Mingyu enjoys teaching him the thing at least what he was quite an expert at. "Why are you suddenly want to learn how to make a coffee? Well considering you bought this and all."

"Same reason as you, i guess. I decided to live in the village where coffee is a well-known beverage, might as well learn how to do it. Although i'm not quite a coffee person myself."

"You're not?" Mingyu pouts, and Wonwoo does this thing with his lips when he presses it lightly.

"I suppose my body just can't stand the caffeine... I also have a weak stomach. I'm sorry, there's nothing wrong with coffee, they're all great especially the one planted in this village. It's all on me."

"No, no, no, that's completely understandable." Mingyu suddenly feels guilty for no reason, but he quickly gets rid of the nonsense feeling away. "So are you planning to stay for a little longer then?"

The sudden change of the topic brings such a sparkling delight into Wonwoo's features. "I really love it here."

Mingyu seems surprised. "You do?"

"Why? What's with the expression?"

"Well i mean..." The tall man awkwardly scratched his nape. "You're not often out or associate with other villagers. I just assume you found us boring or something."

Wonwoo blinks at him. In the dim warmth of the sun coming through the window shrinking as morphine injected to the joints of life, a soft lopsided smile appeared on the man's lips. "What do you usually do besides delivering people's stuff?"

"Me?" Mingyu pointing at himself, and Wonwoo nods to confirm. "Not much. I went to Mapleholt to drink some beers with my friends or helping my family at our shop in Goldville. But most of the time i was in the Aldpine, hunting down some unicorn."

"A unicorn?"

"You never have seen one?"

"No... as far as i can recall?"

"That's too bad then, consider the creature was Lormeadow's greatest magic."

"So much on this village that i haven't discovered yet, i assume?"

"You have plenty of times to try." It was supposed to be a friendly wink, but somehow Mingyu regrets doing the act in front of a complete stranger.

"So..." Wonwoo cleared his throat, lifting the kettle once again. "What do we do next?"

" _OH_. Yeah. Uh," The tall man quickly pour the grinned beans into the filter paper. "Start pouring the water slowly into the center. Remember to pour slowly and the water shouldn't go far above the coffee line to prevent water from escaping without extracting the coffee. Keep pouring the water until it reached 360 grams of water. The process should take 2 minutes top. And after that, you're done."

Wonwoo mouthing a little _woah_ while looking at Mingyu calmly pouring the water, his eyes filled with so many curiosity just like a child asking his dad about any random trivia, then he grabs a glass to get a taste of the coffee. Notwithstanding claiming himself as a non-coffee person, he surprisingly drinks it just fine saying it was bitter and he blushes when Mingyu tells him it was supposed to be bitter since he's not adding any sugar inside. It warms Mingyu's heart to get appreciated at little thing such as brewing a coffee, and his heart suddenly feels overflowing with admiration towards the petite man.

Mingyu excuses himself then, saying he still needs to go somewhere after this. Wonwoo escort him into the front door and bid him goodbye properly.

"Before i forgot, just in case you need a man who knows his way around here and helps you knowing this place better than anybody else, you know where to go." A cheeky smile plastered on Wonwoo's face, wordlessly indicating how he very much like the idea. "And Sir Jeon? You might wanna put extra protection on the cat. My friends... they were very much hooked up with the whole open-the-front-door contest idea."

At the remarks, Wonwoo laughs until Mingyu barely can see his eyes. With his soft black hair, the way he presses his lips inside, his timid smile that causes his nose to scrunch adorably, the man looks incredibly attractive it hurts Mingyu's pride because surely he will never reach that level of flawlessness.

"Should i be worried about you as well?"

The tall man shrugs his shoulder lightly. "I'm not worthy enough to chase after it."

Mingyu doesn’t want to believe it but he can see a glimpse of disappointment on the man’s feature. He was about to excuse himself for one last time, walking a few steps further from the door when his name being called by the other man.

"Hey, Mingyu?"

The man's lips go up sheepishly. "You know my name."

"Am i not allowed to know?"

"You're more than free to know."

Wonwoo does the thing again, when he observes Mingyu with his eyes, stripping him off from head to toe with hands crossing in front of the chest and body leaning on the door's frame. His eyes are full of curiosity, another thing Mingyu doesn't quite fathom just yet. "Just so you acknowledge, you are the first human being in this village ever touched the cat like that."

"I'm... what?"

"She doesn't like being touched besides by me. It's quite a shock even for me to see you played with her like that."

"I swear i didn't do anything." Mingyu panics, and that's only made Wonwoo chuckles at the sight.

"You didn't. But as might, you probably wanted to try your luck on the key."

It was the other man's last remarks before closing his door and leaving Mingyu standing there dumbfoundedly, looking like God has forbidden him from breathing, and there's no air left on his lungs to breath.

 

 

On the next day, Mingyu was quite busy with the amount of shipment coming into the Hedgeshore. He had no time even for resting his body, nor thinking about anything especially his last encounter with Jeon Wonwoo. He only got the time for a drink around eight in the evening, considering Mapleholt as the most qualified place for him to rest himself. All his friends were there first, criticising Mingyu for being disloyal and abandoning them during the whole day.

"It was a crazy day in the Hedgeshore, okay? So many shipments to deliver."

"I'm not asking about that. How's yesterday?"

"What about yesterday?"

"You're meeting Jeon yesterday!"

"Oh." Mingyu puts his elbows on the countertop, sitting awkwardly while trying to avoiding Soonyoung. Suddenly it gets overwhelming with the number of eyes staring at him. "Well, yeah, i delivered his stuff. What do you expect?"

"Just that?"

It wasn't just that, but as much as it's tempting to share his conversation to his friends, Mingyu is more comfortable keeping the story to himself alright. Not only because he wants to maintain it private, but also Mingyu somehow considers it as intruding Wonwoo's privacy to talk about him behind his back. "Aside from me putting the box inside the house? I think that's pretty much all."

"Did you see the cat?" Junhui suddenly questioning.

"Yeah, it was right at the front door."

"And the key?"

"I don't really pay much attention to that."

"God, Kim. You're utterly stupid."

Normal people would feel offended by everything that came up from Junhui's mouth but Mingyu knowing him too well to waste his time on feeling butthurt.

"Wait, wait, wait, we need to backpedal this discussion," Minghao takes an annoyingly sip loud before sending Mingyu a look. "You went inside his house?"

_Well, shit._

Mingyu shifts uncomfortably on his seat while repeatedly sipping on his bear just so he can escape another judging look from his friends although no, they were too adamant when it comes to Jeon Wonwoo. "The box is kinda heavy?"

"Damn, Kim. You're stupid but you're lucky." Again, Wen Junhui.

It's so funny hearing the words from Wen Junhui himself, when he spent the majority of his time just for chilling around. Born with a silver spoon on his mouth, Junhui's parents own the preponderance of Lormeadow's wealthiness, making his family to be the richest one in the village. Junhui only here to spent his holiday after previously sent by his parents to the South to take care of their business. But lately Junhui has been too obsessed with Wonwoo to the point that Mingyu's not sure if he's gonna leave in the near future.

And then there's Kwon Soonyoung. Despite appeared to be a prankster who likes messing around big time, Soonyoung is actually a pretty vocal in organizing the village's potentials. He's in charge of guiding the tourist who comes into Lormeadow to feel it's magic, passionately introducing the place in the most enthusiastic way possible, and arranging all the village's event each year. No single souls in this tiny little village who doesn't know the existence of Kwon Soonyoung.

Minghao is a different cases. He's a man with a countless idea on his brain. Even when they're just hanging out and sitting around in Mapleholt, Minghao is probably thinking about some wild fantasy on his head. The idea of Wine Coffee? It was him, coming straightly from his mouth even when they were clearly talking about entirely different topic at the moment. So many concepts doesn't sits well with Minghao and he can be determined sometimes.

So the only thing Mingyu can do to respond to his friends is faking a snort, to hide his sudden blushing cheeks from remembering the way Wonwoo looked small and soft standing next to him. His hands were neat and clean compared to Mingyu's who frequently carrying big hard stuff. The round glasses framing his face, and the thing he did with his knuckles every time his eyes got itched. Another vivid memory of the man on Mingyu's mind.

"You know how Jeon always goes to Goldville on Sunday morning, right? He shops from 9 am until 10 am and always goes on the same routines."

"You remembered his routines."

Soonyoung pats his chest proudly. "Of course i am! Now here's the plan; i'm gonna try to hunt down the cat while he's gone."

"Why hunting it down? Why not like, befriend with it or something?"

"When he simply too quick and most likely avoids all the traps i could possibly think of? Are you out of your mind, Kim?" The sarcastic emphasis is clearly there.

"Alright, alright. Goodluck with that." Answers Mingyu boredly. There's no way he can win an argument over Kwon Soonyoung.

 

 

Goldville is the market of many dreams. It's what you called paradise on earth, where you can find possibly every cooking ingredients with fresh and high quality. From all the building structure here in Lormeadow, he likes Goldville the most. The market reminded him of Covered Market in Oxford, where you can see many lovely shops in dim light, pastel colour, and warm atmosphere. Mingyu's parents own a fruit shop in there, on Sunday which also his day off on Hedgeshore he will help them at the shop.

It's the same with today, except he's got a little bit nervous on the idea of accidentally bump into Wonwoo somewhere and it's all because of Soonyoung. _So many fruit shop in Goldville, there's no possibility he suddenly comes here, right?_

Mingyu should probably note down that the world doesn't run like the way he wanted it to be.

From a distance, he can see Seokmin's sunshine smile approaching his shop alongside with Wonwoo behind who looks overwhelmed with Seokmin's happy-go personality. Mingyu inhales, trying to control his expression as much as he can.

"Aaand we're here!"

Wonwoo jolts a little at Seokmin's loud tone but still managed to bid his thanks and bow a little. "Thank you so much for helping me find Mr. Kim's shop."

"It was absolutely nothing, Sir Jeon! A pleasure to help you. If you have spare time, please do visit our cookies shop right at the end of this alley. We have the sweetest and the most delicious cookies ever exist. Nothing tastes better than _Seok's Snack Rack!_ " Seokmin smiles even wider than both Mingyu and Wonwoo couldn't imagine he's capable to do. Seokmin then leaning closer to Wonwoo, aiming for his ear to whisper something. "Please don't go to _Doughy Delights_ because they used too much sugar in their batter."

"Okay, Seokmin." Mingyu pulls him away from Wonwoo before the man can get any scared than this. "He gets it. He will visit _only_ your shop."

"Excellent!" Seokmin showing his thumbs excitedly. "I better go, then. Nice seeing you, Sir Jeon."

Wonwoo bows his head for one last time. "You too, Mr. Lee."

The petite man still presses his lips to hold back his laughter even when Seokmin is out of sight.

"He's..." Mingyu tries.

"Loud?" Wonwoo completed.

"Yeah," A smile appeared on Mingyu's face. "Did you need anything?"

"Mhm," The petite man scanning the fruits with his eyes before going back to Mingyu. "Your service?"

"M—My what?"

"About your offer the other day to explore the village?"

"Oh," Mingyu gulps while nodding slowly. "When?"

"Right now."

"Right now? But i—" There's a prompting look on Wonwoo's feature that makes Mingyu holding on his mouth, an expression that likeably close to faith, an expectation, a sympathetic feeling rushing on Mingyu's blood like a tsunami. Wonwoo who was standing there innocently with his formal track pants, white t-shirt and grey cardigan... He clearly can't do this to him. "Yeah, let's go."

Mingyu ended up impulsively closing his shop. His parents are gonna question him a lot, but that's just for another time. After all, they would understand if Mingyu tells them that he has other emergency work. It was kind of burdensome walking in the market not as a seller but just someone who accompanies a man getting to know this place better. And since it was such a small village, everyone looking at Mingyu like he was doing something filthy. But what can he says, he's walking with the most wanted man in town. It's not anyone's fault that they were interested in the reason why above all people Mingyu was the one who gets to stand beside him.

While Wonwoo is walking elegantly, hands tangled behind his back with eyes wandering on every shop's name, Mingyu secretly glance at him every two seconds to check if the man finds this tour boring enough.

"How did you know i was here?" Mingyu asks, causing the other man to turn his head at him.

"I didn't, it was a lucky guess. Mr. Lee happened to be there when i asked where possibly i could find you."

Mingyu nods his head understanding. "Lucky guess indeed."

"Was he your friend?"

"Let's just say everyone in this village is my friend."

Wonwoo chuckles, showing that adorable nose of him. "A small town, huh?"

They keep walking until Mingyu stops them in front of an ice cream shop. Wonwoo's face lit up by a lot, and Mingyu happily pointed the shop with his head. "C'mon."

 _Boo's Shimmery_ has always been his favourite ice cream place in town. The Boo's family has been making ice cream for so many generations, and it's a common legend that no one will top them. Mr. Boo's son, Seungkwan, was the friendliest person Mingyu has ever know aside from Seokmin. He's the expert on helping the customer to feel delightful when they experienced the taste of their ice cream and Mingyu couldn't think he can do the same with his shop.

"Oh, wow! For what do i owe this pleasure?" Seungkwan putting on his apron before placing both of his hands beside his wrist, sparklingly looking at them. "Isn't that the famous Sir Jeon? And our beloved Delivery Boy?"

"I told you to stop calling me that."

"That's not you to decide, gentleman," Says Seungkwan with his annoyingly mocking face. "What extraordinary day it is for Sir Jeon to come to my shop?"

"Please recommend me your best creation, Mr. Boo."

"Alrighty," Seungkwan begins to work his hands on the scoop. "Say, Sir Jeon, any lucky man already solve the case?"

"The case?"

"The key on the cat's neck."

Wonwoo confusedly furrowing his eyebrows before chuckling. "I believe still there wasn't any, Mr. Boo."

"Ah, what a pity. I was hoping some of my friends at least will use their brain and solve the case." Suddenly Seungkwan is looking at Mingyu in such a meaningful look, trying hard to communicate through their eyes but get slightly ignored by his dense friend.

“I’m rooting for them as well.” A soft lopsided smile appeared on Wonwoo’s face.

Seungkwan clearly still wasn’t satisfied with his investigation session. “What a unique idea you have right there, by the way. Is there any particular reason you choose that as a term?”

“Seungkwan.” The tall man grits his teeth, but Wonwoo just humming and proceed to answer the question.

“Actually, it's partly because i intended the fun, however the simple reason mostly because I wanna know how much effort they're willing to give.”

“A fair competition?”

“A fair competition.”

“I understand,” Finally Seungkwan gives the ice cream to Wonwoo while grinning on his white neat teeth. “Although it can be quite tricky since the cat will only be taking sides on the one she likes. Or maybe, the cat already figured it out to whom she was going to give the key.”

The tall man immediately grips Wonwoo’s upper arm after Seungkwan ended his sentences with a wink, then pull him towards the exit door after giving the shop owner some money to pay. “That’s enough Kwan, thank you. But we gotta go.” And with that, both of them leaving the place in a hurry.

 

 

“Have you seen any magical creatures rather than Unicorn?” Asks Wonwoo while stepping on the hill steadily after couple times falling on his knees. Mingyu had to hold on to his small wrist from behind to prevent the man from rolling down on the grass too far away. “Like Dragons, for example?”

“Dragons, no. But I’ve seen Wolves and Mermaids. I was working until late at night at the Hedgeshore, such a busy day since it was the day before the Harvest Day. I had to finish everything by that night, and I thought drinking a few beers by the beach wouldn’t hurt.”

“All by yourself?”

“All by myself, yeah.” Mingyu letting his grip from Wonwoo’s wrist since they’re on a more flat pathway, but the man immediately reaching for Mingyu’s wrist and hold on to it. Mingyu lets him. “It was a long tiring day and I didn’t have the heart to force my partner to work harder than they were already doing. So I sent them home. It was just my wild guess, but I think the mermaids sometimes come into the shore by midnight. I saw one, she was wandering on her own. Her tails were sparkling rose quartz, and she has the longest and the silkiest black hair I’ve ever seen. She was looking at me with his big eyes probably confused to see a pathetic man who still works by that hour. Then I saw her kinds from afar, and the one who still looking at me started to swim away.”

“Was she beautiful?” Wonwoo teases, making the tall man blushes a little.

“She was, totally. I don’t even like woman but she’s a goddess.”

“What about the Wolves?”

“Are you sure you want me to talk about this one?” Now it's Mingyu's turn to tease the man, and Wonwoo immediately getting annoyed by the sight.

“If you think I will be scared with those kinds of creatures, please refrain your thought.”

They finally arrive on the top of the hill where they can see a whole Lormeadow spreading wide in front of them. Their eyes caught Goldville just around the foothill, Mapleholt hasn’t yet opened in this early morning, and the big ship anchored grandly in Hedgeshore. Wonwoo can see his own house even from this far. And again, an adorable _woah_ escape from that plum lips of him, enchanting Mingyu whole brain for a glimpse of second of how charming is this man, and how in the hell he gets so lucky for being here with him.

The petite man sits on top of the grass, pulling a small journal from his back pocket. Then he begins to write. He writes, and writes, and writes. His slender fingers dancing alongside his pen, his eyebrows furrows due to his captivating effort on his work. Sometimes he looks up the sky, thinking about beautiful things judging from how his face forming a smile and his lips almost reaches his eyes. He shivers a little bit when a wind passing through them, causing his journal to change the page on its own.

Mingyu decided to not interfere. He feels at ease even only from waiting and not doing anything in particular except quietly glancing at the man just like what he’s been doing ever since they walked in the market.

“Is Aldpine still far away?” Mingyu decided to lay his body on the grass, arm behind his head. And then he pointing at the forest in the North, causing Wonwoo to huffs his breath. “That’s far.”

“Can’t risk of them being too close to the village, right?”

“Tell me about it, then.”

“About what?”

“All the magic creatures inside Aldpine.”

Mingyu closes his eyes, inhaling the spring wind slowly. “I wouldn’t say that the forest is dangerous, it’s just that it was indeed very dark. You can’t quite see anything without a flashlight even during the day. So many rabbits though, sometimes when I’m too lazy to think of a gift for my friends birthday, I took one for them to pet. But again, the greatest thing about Aldpine comes in the form of their Unicorns. Quite hard to spot, but there’s a secret on that. You see, if you wandering deep down into Aldpine you will see a pretty lake, water as clear as crystal. Just wait there while you admiring the beauty of it, and the Unicorns will possibly appear on their own. As white as the snow, as grand as the tall building in the city, and as gorgeous as anything you’ve ever seen.”

Wonwoo puts down his journal aside and lay beside Mingyu on the grass. “I think it was admirable, how you described this forest like it was something alive, and how you looked up to these creatures like they have feelings.”

“They do have feelings,” Says Mingyu, opening his eyes to glance at the other man. “But sometimes human are too dense to realize. Say, a pet. An owner will love their pets more than any animals they’ve found on the street because they grow feeling for them. They protected them at all cost. Sometimes all we have to do is treat them equally in order to appreciate.”

Suddenly Wonwoo moving himself by tilting his body sideways, completely facing Mingyu. Of course, it’s a Mingyu thing to gets panic over their little proximity, but he pretends to be okay with it. To be completely calm about how he can clearly see every dots on Wonwoo’s face, and to be able to hide the unexplained feelings inside his chest. Alluring in this game is like riding a wave, sometimes it’s up in the air, and sometimes you just floating around the surface. But at the same time, Mingyu can only let the wind take him however it wants to.

“What about shapeshifter?” Even only from a quick glance, Mingyu can see how Wonwoo’s eyes shaking while asking the question. It’s like he was peeling off a thin layer out of him. “Do you believe in them?”

“Shapeshifter?”

Wonwoo nods, eyes determined.

“They were banned from Lormeadow after what happened... a while ago, but if you ask if I believe in them, I wouldn’t say yes either. It’s all about magic and when it comes to magic, nothing’s quite believable.”

“So, like, if you happen to meet one, what would you do?”

“Just… I hope they have a friend whom they can share. It can be a bit lonely to keep the secret all by themselves, so I hope they didn’t live all alone in the depth of loneliness. I wish them to have a prosperous life, in sickness and in health.”

All of sudden, it’s Wonwoo’s fingers touching on his eyebrows, sweeping it softly like a fragile glass. And then the fingers move into his eyelids and Mingyu closes his eyes peacefully, letting Wonwoo does everything he wants even if that means Mingyu will die here and now. The rueful smile on the other man is crushing his soul, who dares to make him sad? He will fight. He will fight them bravely. But the man’s touch is making him weak. He was being injected and his body couldn’t move. He’s too weak. He can’t even defend his own self.

“Mingyu?”

“Hm?”

“What do you think of me?”

“You?”

“Yeah.”

Mingyu’s mind suddenly falling back into the book he was reading a few years ago. How every word hold such strength, and it was wonderful as it is. Totally orgasmic, an indefinable feeling he couldn’t let himself to elaborate. He was falling, euphoric feeling that is totally indescribable. He got shot by the cupid themselves and it was an art. He will never forget likeably for such a long time.

“What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know, surprise me.”

Mingyu slowly moving himself up, hovering on top of the smaller man, caging him like he was all him to keep. And Wonwoo doesn’t hesitate. He’s looking at Mingyu straight in the eyes, challenging him to do more. “I think... I think they’re not wrong when giving you the nickname. The most wanted man in town…" Much closer. Indulging sweet. Burning like hell. "It suits you.”

Wonwoo’s breath hitch a little when Mingyu’s face is just an inch closer from his and Mingyu wants to laugh. He wants to laugh because he was getting ready to get a punch in the face but so far he gets none. And now it’s even harder to draw himself further when he was already this close, and he thinks he was going mad for thinking so many things at once.

“And,” Wonwoo continuously gulps, choking on his own saliva. “If you’re worthy enough, will you fight for the most wanted man in town yourself?”

“Probably,” Mingyu is dizzy. He’s looking at Wonwoo and he feels nostalgic for such sweet days he hasn’t even experienced yet. It makes him wanna light some candles and tuck the man into the bed until he sleeps alright, safe and sound. “But for now Mr. Handsome, it’s lunchtime. We gotta go back.”

Wonwoo’s face designating such a major loss after Mingyu draws himself further. The tall man offering his hand for him to stand, and Wonwoo reaches the palm and lock their hands as if it belonged there. In the middle of Spring wind passing through them, and the flowery scenery beyond their reach, he can feel the magic. He can feel the fairytale in Lormeadow.

 

 

 

A week later, Mingyu is on duty to deliver another package which arrived in the late evening to Wonwoo's house. It was his last before finally he can go home and rest himself so he hurriedly goes to the man’s house without any hesitant.

He finds the cat in the front door just like always, sleeping on top of the mat so peacefully. She opened her eyes when Mingyu kneeling down beside her and giving her the fluffiest pat. The cat purs and meowing, leaning into the man’s touch like a spoiled little beast. The cat shaking her tail, a sign that she’s very much liking what the man's currently doing. “Hi, Missy. Can you call your owner for me?”

She meows sadly.

“He’s not home?” She meows again. This time not letting Mingyu’s palm go. The tall man’s grinning at the act, shaking his head in disbelief. “Alright you needy little thing. Let’s wait until he’s home.”

Mingyu sits himself beside her, considering he’s not sure when will Wonwoo going to be home. His hands won't stop stroking above her fur, and the cat closes her eyes every time Mingyu pokes her nose. “I gotta admit, you’re the first cat I’ve ever treated this special. Look at me, accompanying you on this fine evening instead of resting myself home.”

Again, the cat only responded by meowing.

“I had a little dog back in my house… do you think you can manage to play with him if I let you two meet?” Mingyu asks. “Probably not, right? Since cats don’t get along with dogs? Alright, I won’t.”

Mingyu’s stomach suddenly grumbles and he throws his head back, laughing at himself. “That’s right, I’m hungry. And it’s all because of you.”

The cat suddenly gets herself up, crawling into Mingyu’s laps. Mingyu lets her while still laughing at the situation. But the thing is, he can see it. He can see the key right above where the cat previously sleep. It was there, all shimmering just for him but he just couldn’t himself to reach for it. He bewilderedly confused about what to do with it. So instead of making a big deal of the damn key, he hugs the cat even tighter, lullabying her to sleep.

“It was rude to open someone’s door when the owner is away, right?” Says Mingyu half-whisper, not sure if he talking to himself or to the cat.

But she meows for one last time before fall into a deep sleep in Mingyu’s arm.

 

 


	2. Something About The Cat

Never even once he tells any of his friends about the key incident. About how he’s not only one step closer, but this close to being the husband of the most wanted man in town. He thinks the main reason is that he’s not intended to be in the competition from the first place, so he thinks it wouldn’t be fair if he wins that easily. Mingyu doesn’t even put any efforts in that except endured his hunger, which is getting worse because Wonwoo never came that night. It was already dark, and Mingyu almost can’t see the road unless he starts his car engine and turned on the light. So he decided to go home, leaving the package outside and cat with a heavy heart.

“I’m leaving soon, right after the Harvest Day Festival.” Admit Junhui, already half-drunk.

They decided to hang out in Mapleholt until they’re all passed out tonight. A good thing for Mingyu because he doesn’t think he can be alone on his own. He needs a friend to ease his sanity from the thing that keeping his mind occupied for the past few weeks.

Soonyoung’s mouth is still full of food but he asks away anyway. “South again?”

“West this time. Dad wants me to take care of his restaurant in Chinatown. Pfft,” The man drunkenly snorts. “I can’t even cook for myself?”

“You’re getting it wrong, Wenjun. By taking care, your dad wants you to sit around and do nothing.”

“Yeah, you’re right. It’s too depressing. Let’s just not talk about that.”

“Does it mean you completely give up on Jeon?” Minghao’s voice coming up quite scratchy.

But Junhui just shrugs his shoulder. Head falling on the table, completely wasted. “I still have two weeks to fight, my friend.”

From distance, Mingyu can see Jeonghan walking towards their table. He winks when he spots Mingyu’s eyes, and the tall man chuckles in return

“Boys, may I join you? Seems like too much negativity on this table.” Bringing more food and beers, the owner sits himself between them. “Update me.”

“You’re the fastest who caught on with gossips between us, hyung.”

Jeonghan reaches for Mingyu’s cheeks, patting at it softly. “That’s right, young man. But I wanna hear from you guys. Is everything okay with work?”

Soonyoung started to pour out his heart into Jeonghan about how hard it was to prepare for this year’s Harvest Day Festival, and he was clearly dying from the number of tourists who visit Lormeadow nowadays. Everyone listen to his rambling wholeheartedly like they always did because it’s satisfying to see the man getting chatty. Soonyoung might be trying too hard on getting his image to be the tough one however deep down, all of them knows the guy is the fluffiest bun ever existed. So while Jeonghan does his thing when he comforts people just like what he expertise at, Mingyu is seeing something suspiciously outside the window.

Just about the edge of the road where the pathway leads, Mingyu sees a cat peeking on them. The tall man jolts on his seat, causing his friends to jerks their heads towards him.

“Is that Wonwoo’s cat?”

All of them scanning the road, right where Mingyu’s finger pointing at but it’s just an empty and dark way with nothing to see.

“Are you drunk, love?”

“No, no, no. I saw it. She was just out there, looking at us from outside the window.”

Junhui throwing him a fork though luckily the man caught it faster. “So you're suddenly getting obsessed with Jeon too, now?”

“I wasn’t—”

“The cat never leaves the front door, Gyu. How in the hell she managed to go this far?”

“But Hao—”

“I think we all need to get a little bit rest of Jeon Wonwoo, okay. We’re getting too much—” Jeonghan stops, freezing on his seat. “ _Well, well, well._  Look who’s here.”

The five of them moving their eyes into the front door, seeing no other than Jeon Wonwoo himself. The man awkwardly standing there while scratching on his nape, unsure what to do. But above all of that when his eyes scanning the room and quite catching Mingyu’s, there’s something on him that Mingyu cannot decipher. Some kind of huge relieves pouring all over his veins of being here, of seeing each other’s face even just from afar.

Soonyoung, of course, begins to pour out his extraness starting from how he rushes himself to get the man and escort him to their table, then asking Jeonghan to prepares him some food to eat eventhough Wonwoo already said no need. Both of them hasn’t come back from the kitchen ever since. Wonwoo ended up sitting beside Mingyu on his will, and as soon as his body touching the chair he immediately getting bombarded by Junhui and his silly question.

“Hao, I think our Sir Jeon right here might want to try some Wine Coffee.”

“I don’t think he wanted to.”

“I’m sure he wants.”

“He didn’t ask, Wenjun.”

“Why can’t you just make it?”

It seems like they separated into two different worlds, one where Mingyu’s two other friends bickering nonstop while the other is where both of them secretly glance into each other. Mingyu can feel the light shoulder bump, the warmth of each other’s thigh, it’s so burningly hot for them just by sitting beside one and another.

Bending down a little bit, Mingyu soft whispering into Wonwoo’s ear. “Sorry for leaving your package in the outside the other day. It was getting late and I had to go home.”

Wonwoo sits stiffly, unable to move even an inch. “It was okay, Mingyu. Thank you for waiting and taking care of my cat.”

Mingyu furrowing his eyebrows. “How do you know I was taking care of her?”

“I—” The petite man’s jaw dropped a little. “Lucky guess?”

Mingyu snorts while clumsily taking a sip at his drink. “You need to stop using that as an excuse.”

“Can’t. It’s my greatest weapon.”

The tall man shaking his head in disbelief, leaving a plastered smile all over his face. “You’re the expert, Sir Jeon.”

The rest of the night goes by the six of them chattering. Of course Soonyoung can't help but be the most vocal one on this, wanting to look good in front of the man of his dreams. Soonyoung telling stories about Lormeadow, (which Mingyu and the rest of his friends already memorized inside their head from the amount of him repeating the story) it was his experience during Lormeado's dark days. A story when he was a little, Lormeadow were still not as prominent as now and the land still dominated by nothingness. Soonyoung was an innocent ten years old at that time, observing the chaos in silence when Lormeadow became one of the most dangerous places to live. The disease that attacked them came in the form of mysterious cannibal symptoms. Villagers suddenly attacked anyone they seen within a radius, eating each other without mercy. Slowly but sure changes began to occur in their bodies and soon, they were transforming into Wolves against their willingness. So many people died especially in the middle of the night. No one was allowed to go into Aldpine, nor go out from their house. Soonyoung remembered never once he has seen the sun for about a month and almost die from hunger. Later on, the elders began to hunt down the Wolves one by one, wanting to know the explanation behind the disease until they finally found the reason behind was created by a shapeshifter. One of the villagers was bitten by them, and then the affected one bit another villagers, and others, and others. The never-ending cycles had to be stopped by killing all of them without leaving any remaining. Thus the elder did, and ever since then shapeshifters are banned in Lormeadow.

Mingyu also remembered the horrifying incident vividly. Maybe not as dramatic as Soonyoung because his father always found a way to sneak out and brought food home. His whole family were against the idea of it however Mingyu knew his father was a smart and brave person. Never once he came home with even a wound on his body. But still, Mingyu can feel the horror of those days, the shrill cries from people on the street, and how hard he gripped his sister's hand.

"But how do you make sure there will be no shapeshifter entering Lormeadow ever again?" Between them, Junhui is the one who doesn't spend his childhood in here. Junhui and his family came when Lormeadow already in their best state, therefore it's natural for him to feel curious, even suspicious with every story that came from his friend's mouth.

"The elders still haven't found a way to confirm but honestly it's pretty simple; they're usually easy to get angry and is a bloodthirsty creature. Murphy can sense that."

Junhui quirking his eyebrows. "Who's Murphy?"

"The village's sniffer dog."

"This village had a sniffer dog?!"

"Geez, Jun, where have you been?"

The said man annoyingly shoved lettuce inside Soonyoung’s mouth which made him got a bitten on the wrist as a return.

Mingyu initiatively takes a glance at Wonwoo to check on him since he looks a little bit tensed up ever since Soonyoung began with his story. His palm gripping on the table so hard and his knuckles turned white completely and Mingyu's heart just— dropped. He subtly reaches for his wrist, causing the man to flinches on his seat. "Hey, are you okay?"

Wonwoo forces himself to smile eventhough Mingyu can sense the absolute fear on his eyes but somehow he tries to look preserve and calm. "Yeah?"

"Do you feel uncomfortable with the topics?"

"No... I—" He pauses, bringing their hand under the table and swiftly entangling it with Mingyu's. "Hold my hand?"

There's so much he wanted to question but Mingyu preferably not. All he can think is how his heart drops seeing this vulnerable side of him. It feels like Mingyu throat got choked and rather than just holding him, he wants to bring Wonwoo into a safe place. Anything but here.

From across the table, Jeonghan observing them in amusement. His lips stretched into a sly smirk, and his eyes widening at the sight of the entangling hand and the tension coming from the two persons between him.

Mingyu notices the look on the older's features. He attempts to ignore but ended up appearing a shade of warm red coloured on both of his cheeks.

By the time the clock strikes at twelve, they decided to go home for their own good. But obviously that doesn't stop a tipsy-drunk Soonyoung for offering himself to take Wonwoo home.

"I don't think you're in your best condition to escort me home, Mr. Kwon."

Jeonghan immediately covered Soonyoung's stupidity by embracing the fool man away from Wonwoo. "No need to worry, it's my everyday job to make sure he gets home safely. You lads go first."

Minghao cleared his throat while pulling Junhui to the door. "Yeah. Aunty's gonna kill me if i didn't take this man home safely as well."

And that leaves Mingyu with Wonwoo.

And he can't say no to that.

 

 

Their walk into Wonwoo's house is mostly in silence, creating a never-ending fake cough from Mingyu and little chuckles from Wonwoo. As always, Wonwoo walks with such elegantly. Hands tangled behind his back, head stretched upright. The wind is a little bit colder compared than any other day, Mingyu can see the man's body shivers even just from a glance.

"You look pretty shaking back there."

The petite man tugging his lips, hesitant on what to say. "I'm just tired."

"I almost thought you didn't like the story."

"Not my preferable, thus it was okay."

He doesn't want to jump into an assumption, but Wonwoo did seem off tonight. He was distancing himself from Mingyu and that's making him miserable to not be able to figure what's going on. Maybe it was just his wishful thinking, but Mingyu wants the man to tell him. He wants Wonwoo to tell him his worries and what goes on in that little head of him. The reason why he looks so discouraged just to look at Mingyu in the eyes, hesitant to show his usual enchanting smile, and so afraid to be himself.

"Can i ask you something?"

Wonwoo turns his head at him. "What is it?"

"Would you show me what you write back then... when we were on the top of the hill?"

A rueful smile appeared on the man's lips. "Why?"

"I wanna know."

"About what?"

"Your sincere thought."

A pause. A dead long silence. "How do you know it was sincere?"

"Because i can see it, from the look in your eyes when you wrote it. It was a genuine feeling."

Wonwoo doesn't say anything until the time when they arrived at his house. He plops down himself on top of the small stair near the front door, then patting the space beside him. Mingyu is standing there, waiting on his cue. Waiting for his courage to rush into his blood, to fight on his ego. "Come here."

Mingyu did. Tensing a little bit when Wonwoo moves a tiny bit closer, feeling their body pressed together firmly. It's way too different. Wonwoo's soft milky forearms, unscratched, as pure as a newborn baby, siding with Mingyu's tanned one, fibrous and veined, with a little bit scar here and there. The tall man doesn't even dare to move even a muscle. Instead of something nice, this is more like torture. Mingyu is being punished for doing something entirely bad and he wants to— to escape.

"Here." The man hands him his journal, a little book he always carries on his pocket, a friend in the middle of loneliness, something precious.

Mingyu question it with his eyes rather he was worthy enough to hold such a thing. But Wonwoo convinces him with his eyes, telling him to keep going.

Mingyu opens the page.

> _I’ve been numb for so long I frankly cannot coherent what was it like to belong somewhere. I commenced remembering the old times when nothing was changed. Moreover today, I’ve been here once again to rewrite the past. It's a phase to be overwhelmed with the amount of affection more than my heart can take._
> 
> _I saw them crying over an old grave. I wanted to cry too, although i don't have a clue if am I allowed doing so since i didn’t have much affection left in my pocket. I bid my pray beside them for those who have preceded, the hearts started to feel sorrow._
> 
> _They said something my ears couldn’t quite catch because I build my guard so high. I wanted to not cry, so I didn’t. I cannot even hold anyone's hand even if I wanted to because I was trying to be strong myself. I ended up to appear like a complete fool. That moment, in that very moment, I know that I failed to rewrite anything at all from the beginning._

Mingyu is trying to find the word to elaborate on how he felt but his mind went frigid. He's feeling numb, overwhelmed by his overflowing emotions coming all at once. He was wrong. He was completely wrong from the start. Wonwoo wasn't thinking about beautiful things while writing it. It was probably the darkest side of him, the melancholy anthem ringing inside his eyes, a hollow of misery eating him alive. And Mingyu was sitting there believing it was a happy day. There he was believing it was a joy. But he was wrong. He misinterpreted him. Mingyu knows nothing. He knows nothing about the man beside him. Way too far.

“Wonwoo?”

“Hm?”

“Can I ask you one more thing?”

“You can ask anything, Mingyu.”

“Are you really going to marry them? The one who can open your front door?”

Another rueful smile escapes from that handsome face. “Do you think I didn’t mean it?”

_There goes his answer._

"Mingyu?"

"Yeah?"

"I wanna ask you something as well," It was there again, how the man's pupils trembling in doubt. " Do you think all shapeshifter is like that? ...Bloodthirsty?"

"I... I don't know."

A momentary silence.

"If one of them... If one of them is different from the others... would you believe it?"

Mingyu gulps. "I might be."

The petite man reaches for Mingyu's face, cupping and pulling it closer, leaning until they're only a breath apart. It was indeed nervewracking, Mingyu's heart beats louder than a police siren. He can't control it. He doesn't even remember his own name right now.

Wonwoo softly gives a peck on Mingyu's left cheek, hang in there for such a long time. Grand, stern, solemn, skin to skin.

Then he pulls. Getting himself up closer to the door before finally opened it. He draws a smile on his face, aiming it at the man who still sits stiffly on the chair.

"Thank you for escorting me. Have a lovely night, Mr. Kim."

 

 

 

A week later, something terrible happened.

Mingyu was still in a deep sleep when it happened, considering giving himself a rest today after working round-the-clock like a madman yesterday. But Soonyoung always has a way. He always gets in the way. However today, he didn't come with his usual bubbly personality, he comes with anger. A hot boiling kettle all over his soul. He was furiously standing there, hands on the waist.

"We've been fooled."

"What is it this time Soonyoung?" Says Mingyu, snuggling himself on the pillow even more.

"Get up you, prick! This is serious!"

"Okay, okay." He takes a momentary blank view before facing his friend completely. "What?"

"Someone almost died tonight. He said he was attacked by a wolf."

" _Holy mother of pearl,_ " Mingyu is up. He's totally up right now. His sense is going from zero to ten in a span of a second. "Is the man okay?!"

"Thankfully. But that's not the problem, something major happened rather than that." Soonyoung sitting on the edge of the bed, making a very dramatic expression. "Jeon Wonwoo. He was the wolf. He was a shapeshifter all along!"

No.

No, no, no.

That can't be.

"Okay Soonyoung, very funny."

"I'm not joking, Kim!"

"Yeah, you didn't." He wasn't in the mood. He wasn't in the mood for a joke. Or anything in particular. He wanna go back to sleep. Instead he gets himself from the bed, avoiding his friend.

"Kim, listen to me! The man said he saw the wolf changing form into a human after almost killing him and it was clearly Sir Jeon!"

Dizziness. His head is as heavy as rocks. He's trying to sort out his priority.  _What should he think first? What should he do? What should he believe?_  His mind is getting peeled off. A thin layer, a very tiny thin layer flying into so many spaces all at once.

Think, Mingyu. Think.

Let's backpedals everything.

Let's—

 

_What about shapeshifter? Do you believe in them?_

_If you happen to meet one, what would you do?_

 

No, no, no. Think about another one.

 

_Do you think all shapeshifter is like that? Bloodthirsty?_

_If one of them... If one of them is different from the others... would you believe it?_

 

Mingyu wants to scream. He wants to jump out of the cliff and be gone.

Shit, okay, calm down. Maybe he just needs to clarify. He could've just asked him because there is no way. There's no way in hell someone as wonderful as Wonwoo with his adorable smile and polite attitude dares to kill someone. A person. A human being. It doesn't suit him. It doesn't suit him at all. It's so different from the way he kissed Mingyu's cheek that night, so careful and considerate like Mingyu was made of glass. Like he was the precious out of precious. It's just—

God, please help him.

_What if they hurt him? What if they hurt him for something he didn't do? What if—_

"Where's Wonwoo right now? Soonyoung?"

"He's gone."

"What?"

"No sign of him. Murphy has been chasing down on him since last night but he found none. Jeon Wonwoo was gone along with the wind."

"That's not possible."

"Geez, Kim, what is wrong with you? Why is it so hard to believe that he's guilty when the evidence is all right there? He run away because he's guilty!”

Mingyu sits on the chair, gripping tight on his knees. He covers his face inside his palm, almost crying. "Apologize. Apologize, i— i gotta go."

Mingyu remembers Soonyoung calling after him but he had no intention of turning back. Walking. He remembers walking with no particular destination. He guesses he just needed space, a wide space for clearing his mind. Or maybe he was just a fool because he happens to found himself in front of Wonwoo's empty house somehow. He takes a look at the stair where he was sitting a week ago, still fresh on his memory the way Wonwoo's finger burning through his skin. But now it's gone. Nothing left for him except the memory.

To all his surprise, something coming from the small hole at the bottom of the door. Something furry. Something Mingyu knows best even only from a glimpse. He quickly catches the thing, embracing it on his arm tightly. So tight Mingyu afraid it will crush her bone. "Hi, Missy."

The cat leaning to the touch like she's been waiting for a hundred years and Mingyu's heart shattered at the sight. It must be hard on her to live without her owner, and for not understanding the situation.

"I am so sorry this must have happened to you."

The cat meowing repeatedly, snuggling like he was asking for help. But Mingyu had nothing. He was really clueless on what to do nor how to explain. But he's glad nothing happened to the cat. At least there's something. Something that will keep reminding him that the man was real. That he once was here, in this lovely house, opening the door for Mingyu to deliver his package and offer him a glass of water.

The cat licking on his fingers, and there's some sort of nostalgia feeling on his chest that wanting to go out. "It's just you and me now huh, Missy?"

She meows, and Mingyu smile wholeheartedly.

 

 

 

 

He's adding one more routine on the list before he finishes with his day. Goldville, Heedgeshore, delivering packages, Maplehold on a special occasion, and feeding the cat. Thankfully, he managed to buy her food from the city and ever since then Mingyu has been spending his evening by feeding her in front of the house before heading home and rest. Only him and the cat, and probably the cricket noise.

A month seems like passing in a blink of eyes, swallowing all the memories left for anyone to remember that a man named Jeon Wonwoo ever live here. He once was the part of this village, being one of the things anyone ever obsessed on. Now there are only hatred and betrayed, of someone who almost killed another person, a threat to a peacefulness.

But deep down Mingyu knows. He wouldn't believe a single thing until he asked the man himself and clarifying the thing away. But it's hard. It's hard when he was the one who believes, when he had to sit in Mapleholt with his friends talking about how it such a disgrace to welcomed the said man many years ago, to accept him to be the part of the village, and even wanting to husbands him. It's hard, because he was the one who refuses to believe the reality.

Of anything that still sits well with himself, nevertheless never once he wanted to break his promise to never go inside the house without the owner being there. Even when the key is right there, right at it's always been, even in rain storm and hurricane, eruptions of fire fell from the sky, he won't ever go there.

But today is different. Today is where he feels the emptiness eating him alive into the pit of his spine. The hollow of his chest is getting unbearably hurt and he can't take it anymore. He has come to his limits, and he wanna feel the man's presence so bad.

For the first time after forever, he grabs the key and open the door.

Dusty. The house is clearly different from the last time. No soft music being played, kettle boiling waters, fireplace burning warmly. Nothing. Just a dusty house with lots of spider webs here and there. He's smiling at the sight of the coffee machine remained in the last position where he left it. Mingyu slowly walking towards the kitchen, trying to collect the vague thought inside his mind but there's no need. Anything related to the petite black-haired man will always be pictured perfectly on him. Even just for a while, even when there's not much to remember.

From inside the room the cat is running towards Mingyu, aiming for his legs and pat it with her paws. Mingyu immediately grabs her from the floor and carrying her in the air. "Miss me?"

But today she doesn't meow like she always did. Her eyes are wet, and she looks blue. This is the first time Mingyu seeing her this sad. Maybe she misses Wonwoo just like he did. Maybe she had her time too, when she's just wanna cry and pour out his heart. "You missed him, don't you? Me too."

Mingyu sits on one of the sofas, lulling the cat on his laps. Then he looks around the house, scanning it silently. "How can you live in this dirty house? Can you even sleep? I'm sorry i can't take you to my house. My friends... they really hate your owner right now. I can't risk them hurting you if they know you still alive. Please hang on a little bit, yeah?"

The cat doesn't answer. He's too captivated under Mingyu's touch.

"I really regret it, you know? Not taking the key and open the damn door the first time i saw it. I was a fool, i know. But i'm not lying when i say i'm not worthy. He wants someone who pours out all his efforts and i wasn't. And i guess i didn't like him back then. I don't even know if i like him right now, or why am i here making a big deal out of a cat's life. Why do you think i was here?"

Instead of meowing, the cat climbing a little and lick his cheek. Mingyu lets her.

"You're right. I care about him too much for clime myself that i didn't like him. But yeah... screw that. It doesn't matter now because he's gone." The tall man laughs at himself. "I really, really, miss him. So much it hurts. I read his book countless time but that just makes me feel much miserable than i already did. I stole it, by the way. Years ago in the Hedgeshore when his package arrived. Please don't tell him that. Wait, i forgot you can't do that anymore. Ignore me. Neverthless, i wish i can read his other book someday."

Suddenly the cat running away from Mingyu's lap, causing the man to flinches on the sudden gesture. "Hey missy, where you going?"

But the cat alienating himself away from the tall man, eyes looking at him fiercely. It's hard to believe what happening right now in front of his eyes because as much as how he lives among many fairytales, it's harder to believe on this one. Once again, he's been peeling into the very thin layer of him. Though no matter how hard he was avoiding it, this time is all beyond his will. There's no point on denying when he witnesses how the cat changing its form into no other than the man who puts him in so many despairs. Turns out Jeon Wonwoo is still capable of doing so, and that's just adding another puzzle into his list.

However a month is enough. A month is the limit he wasn't even keen on going through, and a month is where he was on his verge. He can't take barely anything for any longer. Hence he hugs the man as if there's no tomorrow. The tightens he's ever done on a person. He was sure never hugs anyone that tight and Mingyu quite sure it's hurting him. Nonetheless, the man lets him do that. He was kind of overwhelmed himself so Mingyu guesses that makes the two of them.

"Holy mother of pearl you really are insufferable, Jeon Wonwoo."

The man buries his face on the crock of Mingyu's neck deeper, sucking all of him. "I apologize."

"This is unforgivable!" So much desperation on his voice it doesn't even sound like a scolding anymore.

"I had my reason."

"I know."

"It wasn't me, Mingyu. I never hurt anyone."

"Be quiet, i know."

"I was there because i wanted to tell you that night. About myself and my secret. A-And then suddenly i saw a wolf attacking a man. I can't leave him just like that. I..." The petite man gets choked over his own voice.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh, that's okay, no need to tell me what happened. I believe you. This isn't your fault."

"I guess the man saw me when i accidentally changed myself into a human, that's why he was accusing me doing so. But i got so weak after killing the wolf so i had to transformed back into my human form."

"Okay, Wonwoo."

"I was so scared..."

"I know, i'm sorry."

God, he never thought he would be this fool. Why can't he read all the sign when it's been there all along? Mingyu is angry. Boiling anger inside of him.

"I'm scared you're gonna hate me that's why i've been hiding."

“I would never.” Mingyu pulling the man so he can see his face. It's loaded by fear and tears, so many doubt all at once. Mingyu wipe his tears with his sleeves, comforting him as much as he can. "So you were the cat all this time?"

"Yeah."

"From the first time i kneeled back there and pat your head?"

"Yeah."

"So that's why you never came when i waited for you outside. You were with me all along." The tall man chuckles, caressing Wonwoo's cheek with his thumb softly. "That night at Mapleholt... it was you peeking on us?"

He nods. "I wanted to see you."

Never in a million time Mingyu ever thought he would be rooting this hard on someone to the point that everything gets blurry and he can't even talk properly. But you know what? Sometimes he thinks it's funny because at least it is momentarily okay. Like you've been in a dream where you can see the people who you love died, you cry, and cry, and cry in agony, wishing it didn't happen. And then you wake up and none of that ever happened. They were still there with you, it was just a dream, and nothing's bad is going to happen. It's what Mingyu feels right to know. He just wakes up from his bad dreams and it feels nice.

Once again, Mingyu pulls the man into his embrace. His selfish side telling him to not let go, and he figures that's what he's planning to do.

“What are we gonna do now?" Mingyu whispers softly, right beside the man's ears. It sends shivers into Wonwoo's entire wholebeing.

"Don't know. I don't wanna leave." His voice muffling above Mingyu's shoulder.

"Then don't."

Suddenly a thought comes to his mind. A long time ago, they were a story about a fisherman boy. He was unexpectedly falling in the deep of the sea, almost die while he's at it. However, somehow it's not his time to die yet. He was being saved by a mermaid, the one with glorious gold tail and the beauty of her face. After being saved, the fisherman boy bid his goodbye, went home by feeling a sorrow on his heart. Little did he know that the mermaid was secretly following on him, wanting to know him more. Later on they decided to keep it a secret. The fisherman made a pool inside his house for the said creature, limiting his life from outside the world just so he can keep her for himself. No one ever knows what's going on inside, nor ever showing a suspicion towards the man.

Maybe. Just maybe... he can be greedy this time. Maybe it doesn't have to be them against the world, but only simple happiness would still do so much justice. Who cares about recognition, he only needs to see Wonwoo safe and sound. For better or for worse.

"Stay here."

Wonwoo looks up, eyes trembling in hope. "Here?"

"Mhm. Let's hide you from the world forever."

"Forever?"

"I know it's selfish. I know it... wouldn't fair to keeping you here while i can see the sun freely and enjoy the beauty of life but Wonwoo, i—" It's maddening. The desire inside his heart... it's getting impossible to bear. "I really want you to be safe? And i don't want you to get hurt. Just that. Do you ever feel like you wanted to be with someone in a way that you don't want anything except feeling their presence? Even from afar... or seeing a flash of their smile. That's enough. More than enough."

"That's really sweet of you." A rueful smile appearing on the other man's features. "You really did figure it all, didn't you?"

"About what?"

" _Do not chase the cat. The cat is befriendable. Get the cat to trust you and genuinely enjoy your company. You may eventually be allowed to touch it. The cat will freely let you take the key._ " Wonwoo inhales, fingers running through Mingyu's hair. "I wanted anyone to be aware of that. They shouldn't treat the cat as a defender of an object, but otherwise. None of them does that except you, Mingyu."

The tall man covers his face above Wonwoo's head. "I'm sorry, i never intended on getting the key from the first place."

"I know."

"You know?"

"I know you just weren't interested in the idea of the competition itself, that's why i let you touch me."

"Sweet lord, it's utterly bizarre now since i know she was you all along."

Wonwoo laughs. The most carefree laugh Mingyu sees from the man for such a long time. "You'll get used to it."

"Wonwoo?"

"Yes?"

"Forgive me for being dense even when you already give me countless of clues. I don't know what will happen ahead but let's figured it out. You and me both."

The man smiles brightly. "Sounds like a whole of plan."

Their happily ever after maybe doesn't being written in the famous fairytale book, or be the bedtime stories anyone would never forget, or the legendary folklore meant to be remembered. Though it's written in the nothingness, it will remind in their hearts. Enough for them to continue living and passing on their stories to anyone who willing to listen, to understand, and to cherish it along with them.

 

 

[]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ?? i think i just wrote a whole 14k of absolute trash forgive me ?? but yeah i least i kept my promise to write this down. for the people who replied on the tweet saying they really looking forward to this and encourage me to write, i give u my sincere gratitude from the bottom of my heart. this wouldn't happen without your support. once again, thank you.
> 
> please leave me your sincere thought about it in the comment or throughout these two platforms below. 
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/cikicuba) | [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/cikicuba)


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